


Adventures in Babysitting

by vix_spes



Series: Ties of the Heart 'verse [3]
Category: Whitechapel (TV)
Genre: Fluff, Friendship, Gen, Kid Fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-22
Updated: 2015-01-22
Packaged: 2018-03-08 15:23:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,373
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3214061
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/vix_spes/pseuds/vix_spes
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Joseph Chandler is really regretting the fact that he can’t say no to Miles…</p>
            </blockquote>





	Adventures in Babysitting

**Author's Note:**

  * For [slightlytookish](https://archiveofourown.org/users/slightlytookish/gifts).



“I’m sorry, you want me to what?”

Joseph Chandler knew that he was sleep-deprived – hell, they all were after the case that they had just worked – but he was clearly hallucinating and hearing things now. He had to be hallucinating; there couldn’t be any other explanation.

Having just closed a fairly gruelling case, the team was on stand down and ostensibly just doing paperwork. The team was exhausted though and Chandler, exhausted himself, was more than willing to turn a blind eye. Mansell was unashamedly napping at his desk while Meg was knitting something that Chandler couldn’t quite make out. Kent was at least trying to make an effort at his paperwork but kept staring off into space every few minutes. Miles had done a fair amount of paperwork, had a nap at his desk and made a phone call – presumably to Judy, since it had been on his mobile – and then making his way to Chandler’s office. Chandler had attempted to make it look as though he was actually doing some of his own paperwork not staring at his team but he failed miserably judging by the smile on Miles’ face.

“Joe, you busy?”

“You know I’m not, Miles. What can I do for you?” Chandler was a bit surprised when Miles came into his office, closing the door behind him; something that he didn’t do very often.

“It’s more of a personal favour rather than a work thing.”

“Okay. Are you sure I’m the right person to talk to? I mean, is it time off that you need? We can probably swing you a few days off after the case we’ve just had.”

“No, no, it’s nothing like that.”

“Okay.” Chandler was at a bit of a loss as to what Miles wanted. Nothing had seemed wrong when he had gone round for Sunday dinner just before the last case and Miles normally went to Meg if it was a problem with Judy. “So how can I help?”

“Are you doing anything tomorrow night?”

“No? Well, I mean, I haven’t got anything planned. Why?”

“Is there any chance that I can persuade you to babysit? It’s been ages since Judy and I have been out just the two of us but the regular sitter’s busy and the kids have been dying to see you so I thought I could kill two birds with one stone. What do you say?”

“Babysit? Me? Are you sure that’s a good idea? What about Meg?”

“She’s got a standing date with her husband every Friday night we’re not on a case. Judy’s sister has the flu, I’m not trusting Mansell with my kids and Kent’s shit with Elizabeth. On the other hand, my kids adore you.”

“But … but I’ve never babysat before. I’ve never been with your children by myself before. What do I do with them?”

“What do you mean ‘what do I do with them’? You have spent time with them before. They’re not alien creatures. Colour and read a story to Elizabeth, play on the Wii with the boys. Don’t feed them junk food and make sure they go to bed at a reasonable time. You’ve got my number and Judy’s if there’s anything that you can’t sort out yourself. It’s babysitting not rocket science.”

“Okay?”

Chandler shook his head, a slight smile playing on his lips. “Okay, I’ll babysit. You’re right, I haven’t seen them for a while. But, if it goes disastrously wrong then I’m blaming you. Oof!”

All the breath rushed out of Chandler’s lungs as he was practically tackled by an ecstatic Miles.

“Yes, yes, I’ll take the blame. Thanks Joe, I knew I could count on you. Pint on me after work?”

Chandler hesitated, thinking of all the research he now had to do and was about to decline when he saw the hopeful look on Miles’ face. “Why not, one pint won’t hurt.”

“Great, I’ll tell the others.”

As Miles disappeared into the main room, Chandler resisted the urge to bury his head in his hands, wondering what the hell he’d let himself in for.

  
~*~

  
It was with more than a little trepidation that Chandler turned up at Miles' house the following evening. The team had been assigned paperwork again and Chandler had secluded himself in his office, shutting the door firmly behind him. Through the glass it may have appeared that he was diligently catching up on his case files but nothing could have been further from the truth.

The previous evening, the instant that he had got home, he had started searching the Internet for babysitting advice. He wasn't at all fazed by the fact that the majority of it seemed to be aimed at teenage girls; nothing was useless information. He had probably used an entire ream of paper and a whole ink cartridge printing things out.

Not that it had helped at all.

If anything, reading all of the information had made him even more nervous. And that wasn’t good! There were do’s and don’ts, bits of advice that he had to discard as being undoubtedly out of date and so many contradictions it was untrue. Finally acknowledging that what he was doing wasn’t helpful, merely making him more anxious, he had switched his phone off so that he couldn’t call Miles and cancel before grabbing his car keys.

His confidence was buoyed when, ringing the doorbell of the Miles family home was greeted by a stampede of running feet and a chorus of “Uncle Joe! Uncle Joe’s here!” Not bothering to wait for their parents, Liam and Edward flung the door open and dragged Chandler inside and into the living room where Miles and Judy were just putting on their coats. The minute that Elizabeth saw Chandler, she started making grabby hands and leaning precariously out of her dad’s arms until Chandler relented and scooped her into his arms.

“What did I tell you? Nothing to worry about,” Miles said with a grin. “Now, they’ve been fed and madam’s been bathed. Boys in bed by nine, Liz whenever she drops off, phone numbers are on the fridge and we’ll be back by 10.” Chandler looked a bit bewildered as Judy kissed all her children and him before being ushered out by Miles.

He was officially on his own with the children.

  
(~*~)

  
Chandler wasn’t ashamed to admit that, by the time it got to nine pm, he was already flagging. He had absolutely no idea where the children found all of their energy from. While Elizabeth might be more than happy to sit quietly with him, demanding nothing other than praise for her colouring, multiple stories and lots of hugs, the boys were bouncing balls of energy. Not even multiple games on the Wii could tire them out. Chandler had no shame in admitting that he was clearly as rubbish at sports played on games consoles as he was at games played in real life (unless it was boxing).

In an attempt to calm them down, Chandler put on a film that he hoped would have universal appeal and sat himself down on the couch, Elizabeth cradled in his lap. Much to his relief, Liam and Edward soon calmed down and flopped down on the couch, one of them on either side of him. It didn’t take too long before they were leaning into him more than they had been originally and he knew that he had been successful. It might have been later than Miles had stated, Chandler figured that it didn’t matter if they were still awake if they were calm and quiet. He didn’t have to wait much longer before the murmured comments stopped altogether and there was a heavy weight on both sides of his ribs. They were asleep.

And that was exactly how Miles and Judy found them when they returned home, rather sheepishly, at eleven pm; all four of them asleep on the couch, Elizabeth sprawled on Chandler’s chest, one hand gripping onto his shirt while both boys were snuggled up on either side of Chandler. Miles couldn’t help but chuckle quietly, not wanting to disturb any of them, as he pressed a kiss to Judy’s cheek.

“And Joe was worried that he couldn’t do it.”

**Author's Note:**

> If you would prefer to comment on LJ, you can do so [here](http://vix-spes.livejournal.com/181058.html)


End file.
